Smoking kills. For most people, it is not surprising to hear that smoking harms our body in many different ways. Not only does it damage the immune system, it increases the risk of infections.
Smokers tend to be less healthy than non-smokers. All smokers should also be aware that each time they smoke, a certain amount is inhaled, but the rest is released into the surroundings. Not only is the smoker affected due to the habit, but also the people around him or her.
Most smokers are not concerned about themselves or their surroundings. The negligence of such smokers can cause harm to the society in many ways.
For instance, motorists who smoke should be aware that when they litter the roads with the burnt tobacco blend, they are causing a fire hazard. The authorities should take such matters seriously.
If a person smokes two to three cigarettes a day, in a week it would add up to 21 cigarettes and in a year, it would amount to 1,092 cigarettes. In the life span of an average human being, a person may smoke up to 65,700 cigarettes.
The surprising fact is that teenagers who are around 15 years old are often seen with cigarettes. The situation is even more serious for them.
Grim statistics
- About a third of the male adult global population smokes.
- Smoking-related diseases kill one in 10 adults or causes four million deaths worldwide.
- If the situation continues at the same rate, by 2030, smoking will kill one in six people on average.
- Someone dies every eight seconds from tobacco use.
Source: World Health Organisation
Smoking kills, but I cannot stop smokers. My duty is to speak out and convey the harmful effects of smoking to other people, which I hope to achieve in this community report.
The reader is a grade 12 pupil of Cambridge High School in Abu Dhabi.
Be a citizen reporter. Tell us what is happening in your community. Write to us at readers@gulfnews.com
